First Flight:
The SNJ-1 Texan made its maiden flight on November 8, 1939.

Revolutionary Trainer:
Built as a private venture by North American Aviation in 1935, designated the NA-16, the aircraft that became the SNJ (AT-6) Texan eventually rolled off the assembly line in epic numbers, with more than 16,000 examples produced. The majority served in the Army Air Forces, with over 4,000 of them serving in Naval Aviation. The Texan was the first widely-produced monoplane trainer and featured an all-metal covered fuselage and retractable landing gear. During World War II, the aircraft served as an advanced trainer, an interim step for flight students between biplanes and service type aircraft students would fly operationally. In the postwar years it served as a primary trainer.

Variants:
The Navy operated six versions of the Texan beginning with the SNJ-1 ordered in 1938. This one and the follow-on SNJ-2 were ordered in small numbers, with production numbers reaching 368 for the SNJ-3, 2,400 for the SNJ-4, 1,573 for the SNJ-5, and 411 SNJ-6s. Some of the latter were converted the the SNJ-7 configuration.

The Charlies:                                 

Beginning with the SNJ-3J and followed by the SNJ-4C and SNJ-5C, some versions of the Texan were fitted with tailhooks for use in carrier flight operations. They saw service on board the training carriers USS Wolverine (IX 64) and USS Sable (IX 81) and select fleet carriers, one SNJ-4C making first landing on board USS Bunker Hill (CV 17) in June 1943. In the postwar years, the SNJ-5Cs like the aircraft on display were staples in the Training Command, with Student Naval Aviators receiving their first carrier arrested landings and launches on board training carriers operating in the Gulf of Mexico. An SNJ made a significant contribution to carrier aviation development, conducting touch and go landings on board USS Antietam (CVA 36) in various wind conditions as part of the evaluation of her newly installed angled flight deck.

The Museum’s Aircraft:
The museum’s SNJ-5C (Bureau Number 51849) was delivered to the Navy as an SNJ-5 on September 16, 1943. Converted to the -5c configuration, it spent most of its career flying from NAAS Corry Field and NAAS Saufley Field in the carrier qualification role. After its U.S. Navy service concluded, it operated with the the navy of Argentina between 1959 and 1971. The museum acquired it in 1984 and it is displayed in the markings of NAAS Barin Field.